Rogue Brutal Bitter

After a bite to eat at the Pic and a quick grocery shopping trip, Riss and I tried a bomber of Rogue Brutal Bitter.

http://www.rogue.com/brews.html#brutal

An interesting beer. Very nice, clean citus aroma. A decent white head of average duration, it appears somewhere between a dark gold and light tan. As the company describes it, Brutal Bitter is "a cross between a Very Extra Special Bitter and an Indian Pale Ale". While pleasant enough, I found the offering a bit bland. The hop aroma is not followed up by much bitterness, certainly not "brutal", anyway. It's kind of like an IPA on prozac.

Andy

Tiny bubbles.... in my glass......

For all of those math geeks out there, here's an article that you may enjoy.


Of beer and bubbles: The formula for a perfect pint

By Julie Steenhuysen Thu Apr 26, 9:13 AM ET

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A mathematical formula can now predict how the frothy head on a beer changes over time, a finding that may have a wide range of commercial uses beyond pulling the perfect pint, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

The formula explains how the tiny bubbles that make up foam grow -- an explanation that could lead to the development of products such as metal shrink wrap.

The possibilities include "the heat treatment of metals or even controlling (the) head on a pint of beer," Robert MacPherson of Princeton University in New Jersey and David Srolovitz of Yeshiva University in New York report in the journal Nature.

Foam is made up of many tiny bubbles that scientists think of as cells with boundaries. The new formula calculates how these microstructures grow.

These tiny structures or grains are abundant in nature, making up the foam on a beach or the pebble in your shoe. They also can be found in man-made materials such as ceramics or metals.

"What the theory does is it tells you how the size of every single bubble will evolve in time," Srolovitz said in a telephone interview.

David Kinderlehrer, a mathematician at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, said the finding will help materials scientists concoct a number of newfangled materials by rearranging the grains in various materials using computer simulation.

"It tells you how an individual grain grows by itself until something happens to it. That is very important for understanding how to process material," Kinderlehrer said in a telephone interview.

In metal, that means striking the right balance.

"The strength of a metal depends on grain size. As you make smaller and smaller grains, the metal gets stronger and stronger but it also gets more brittle," Srolovitz said.

"For a particular application you want the grain size that represents a compromise between as strong as you can get and as brittle as you can live with," Srolovitz said.

Kinderlehrer said new materials now under study are batteries that do not corrode and shrink-wrap metals that could be used to repair nuclear power plants -- without shutting them down.

"A lot of things we can only imagine," said Kinderlehrer, who wrote a commentary accompanying the study.

Free crate of beer?? Say it ain't so.

This is a great story... would you fall into this trap?

Thief betrays himself to get free beer

Fri Apr 27, 11:45 AM ET
BERLIN (Reuters) - A German phone thief led police right to his front door when they called the stolen mobile to say he had won some free beer and he willingly gave his address.

"An officer called and said, 'You've won a crate of beer'," said a spokesman for police in the eastern town of Neustrelitz Friday.

"Then he asked where he lived so he could drop the beer off, and the guy told him. I think the man was drunk."

Letter to the Red Sox

Good afternoon,

I'm drafting this letter this afternoon to suggest yet another improvement at Fenway Park, although this one won't require the services of Janet Marie Smith. I've been to plenty of games at Fenway over the past 20 years that I've lived in New England, but not until this year had I been all that cognizant of the beer selection.

As someone who is now engaged in the promotion of local and regional craft beer, I was disappointed when, after taking our seats, my girlfriend and I went out to grab a couple beers and were hard pressed to find anything other than Miller Lite. We finally came upon Sam Adams Lager, but we couldn't even find Sam Adams Summer Ale, a hugely popular beer. We were sitting in the loge box behind home plate, and I grew increasingly frustrated not being able to find a quality local beer.

We're very fortunate in the Boston area to have an abundance of local and regional breweries that produce an insane amount of very high quality beer, and I can't think of anything more appropriate to pair with the high quality improvements that have been made both on the field, and in the park.

Now, I'm speaking in a vacuum of course, as I have no idea if you are contractually obligated to only serve certain beers, but I've been to other ballparks that go out of their way to have dedicated stations where you can get a variety of regional beer. I know that as a fan of the Red Sox and of craft beer, nothing would make me happier than sitting at Fenway, watching the Sox, and drinking a high quality beer.

I'm sure I remember being able to find Harpoon in the park in the past, which is great, but 1) I couldn't find it behind home plate and 2) the local market is saturated with other offerings, and it would be great to see some of them on display in the park.

One that could have a great tie-in is the Magic Hat #9, for obvious reasons.

Cheers!

Ian Cowpar
www.2beerguys.com

Cerveza Negra and Red Horse

As my time here is winding down, I wanted to make sure that I reviewed Sam Miguel's flagship beer "Red Horse". On my first trip here, I was informed that many are not able to drink a couple and remember the stories to tell.... Well.. tonight I enjoyed the last two offering from Sam Miguel that I could locate and I wanted to share with you.

I started with a Cerveza Negra - An Exhilaration Dark Lager - reviewed from a 330 ml bottle

The Negra pours a black cloudy body with a large light brown creamy head. The creamy head was very active, mostly diminishing but didnt leave a trail. Light could slightly be seen through the bottom of the glass, but the dark body couldn't hide the activity. There was a bubble party going on and I was invited.

The nose perked up from the initial pour and remained pleased through out the review. The malt presence was strong with caramel and dark chocolate. The initial moderately bitter taste settled over time into a light bitter sweet taste on the palate for a long duration. The medium body lager was very lively in carbonation with a creamy feel on the palate. Over time, it leaves a dry presence on the palate.

I enjoyed this offering from Sam Miguel. Its not found in many restaurants. I was lucky enough to stumble upon on it in the grocery store. Yes, they have grocery stores in Manila. They even have electricity :) Most of the beers enjoyed by the Filipinos are lighter lagers. This is a nice change and a surprise to be a member of the lager family.

(In comparison to a well known Irish dark beer, this is very similar in aroma and it's creamy taste. It was lighter in body and refreshing on a hot day.)


Notes from the Brewer:

Cerveza Negra is the taste of a robust spirit. It is distinguished by the fullness of its flavor, the caramel tones that tease the palate, and the rich creaminess of its format.

It is a dark lager unlike any other. Undeniably, Cerveza Negra is meant for you.


Red Horse Beer - Extra Strong

For those who are not aware, Red Horse is Sam Miguels flagship beer. This is the beer that everyone fears (in a good way). If you want to impress your friends, have a couple and stay around to remember your evening.

The Red Horse pours a cloudy yellow, settling into an active yellow body and a fizzy head. The head was very active and diminished at an amazingly fast rate. With good lacing, the fully diminishing head disappeared quicker than the Negra. The nose wasnt over powered by the malts, but there was a malty-soapy presence. The Red Horse isn't known for its aroma.

The initially light bitter taste was over powered by the carbonation presence. It was quickly followed by a light bitter finish for a long duration on the palate. The Red Horse is light in body and left a gummy feeling on my palate. The strong presence of alcohol left an astringent feel in my mouth.

This is a light beer thats strong and enjoyed often with a group of friends. If you are up for the challenge of a Red Horse?

Notes from the Brewer:

Experience that distinctive full-flavored taste and extra-satisfying strength of a world class strong beer.

http://www.redhorsebeer.com/beer.asp

Summer winds...

With the turn of the weather, my mind has drifted to two things: Baseball and Beer. And what better way to pay tribute to both, than by combining them into one thing! I've been looking at customized 2 beer guys jerseys, and it looks like they'd come out to about $26 a piece. Who would be interested in having one of these fine jerseys?

Upcoming beer events

http://www.boston.com/ae/events/articles/2007/04/26/going_for_the_gold/

Looking forward to the Beer Guys' report from NERAX!

Do you have a strange mind? (like us)

Do you have a strange mind?

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 2Bereyugs can.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at 2Bereugy Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.

The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the human mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed this tell yuor fdriens aubot the wbestie.

Red God IPA

Today was the first day for CBC's 2007 edition of the Red God IPA:

Featuring Simcoe, Amarillo, and Columbus hops at an unheard of rate of over three pounds per barrel, with American pale and Belgian caramel malts providing a malty but dry pedestal upon which this hop fest rides until its long, lingering, hop-bittered finish. Beware this vengeful, Old-Testament God. Say your prayers…OG:1.076 FG:1.012 ABV:8.4%

My first reaction was just, wow! How could he hide 8.4%, cause you barely detect the alcohol, even as the glass warms near the finish. Aroma is moderately hoppy, but since it's not dry-hopped, it's pretty typical of a double-IPA. The taste, though is all hops all the time. It reminded me a bit of Steve's going away double IPA from the Tap in that they don't let the strength of the beer diminish their goal of just beating you senseless with bitterness. I think you hop-heads are going to like it!

Andy

Into the Secondary

We transferred the beer into the secondary fermenter tonight. Bottling a week from tonight...

San Miguel Lager fest!!

I thought of a couple of different titles for this blog, but I stuck with Lager fest. In my previous blog, I accidentally called it "Sam" and not "San". Maybe I am thinking too much of "Sam Adams" (ohhh.. yes I mentioned their name), but you can rest assure that it's cause of the font and for those who know me.. I am almost illiterate and illwriterate.

Sitting in my hotel room on a Thursday morning, after working through the night, I dream of watching lost and hear that Sanjia is out of the competition. Top 7 isn't too bad. (HA HA.. I don't even care that he's gone.. ) Instead, I am stuck watching reruns of WWE, NBA games, and Useless hours of Tyra.

Anyways, I wanted to discuss some of the local beers that originated here in the Philippines. Here are some interesting facts about San Miguel:

* In 2000, the San Miguel workforce totaled 14,864

* Apart from its network of close to 60 facilities in the Philippines, San Miguel has breweries and packaging facilities overseas. San Miguel operates a brewery each in Vietnam, Australia and Indonesia and maintains four breweries in China, including Hong Kong.

* Although San Miguel was already exporting beer to Hong Kong and Shanghai as early as 1914, the Company's overseas operations in Hong Kong began in 1948.

* San Miguel produces close to 300 different products whose brand names include the most recognized in the food and beverage industries

My review actually started last night, where I enjoyed a San Miguel Super dry and Pale Pilsen. The Super dry was more than I expected. It poured a fizzy yellow body that was very active with bubbles moving very fast. The large fizzy head quickly diminished and left a fair presence of lacing. The nose didn't detect a strong presence, but a soapy, light malt presence was noted.

The light sweet initial taste stayed the same for the finish for a long duration. This is where the surprise came from. The palate was left with a creamy/partially oily film that left the palate in a good shape. I am not a big fan of the lagers, but it left a nice feeling on the palate. It was a very good light beer. I was happily surprised because from "Dry", I was expecting a more bitter taste/feeling. This beer is promoted as "Clean, Crisp taste - Premium Lager"

(Note: All 4 reviews were from a can. The first two were tasted in tall slim glasses and the last two were tasted in a whine glass.)

Next, to finish off my dinner, I enjoyed a Pale Pilsen. The Pale Pilsen pours a light yellow clear body without all of the activity from the Super Dry. The large frothy head quickly diminished but left behind a decent trail. The nose detected the strongest aroma with the Pale Pilsen. A strong malt presence was noted along with some citrus notes.

The taste moved from moderately bitter to light bitter over an average duration. The carbonation was lively, and left a clean dry feel on the palate. This beer is promoted a "Expertly Brewed - Original Full Flavor"

This morning (your Wednesday evening), I enjoyed the last two beers in the four some. They were San Mig Light and San Mig Strong Ice. The San Mig light pours a light yellow active body. It was sparkling with activity. The white fizzy head was also quickly diminishing, but didn't leave a trail. The nose detected a light malt presence. Can't detect too much with these lagers.

The mouth was presented with a very festive feeling. It tasted moderately bitter and moved to a light bitter taste over time. It was very thin, almost with a watery feel. Initially the palate was a bit dry - gummy, but the taste buds perked up like when enjoying a sour patch kid (candy). It wasn't as pleasant on the palate and felt overly carbonated. It gave me a gassy feeling. This beer is promoted as "Low Calorie - Pale Pilsen".

The San Mig Strong Ice pours a light yellow body with a good size fizzy head, but it was quickly diminishing and didn't leave anything behind. This offering had the weakest presence on the nose. The moderately bitter initial taste diminishes over time. It's not as pleasant as the other three offerings. It's very thin in body and watery. The active carbonation feel on the palate is a turn off to me. This beer is promoted as "ICE Filtered - Pale Pilsen"


Brewers notes: (that I could find....)

San Mig Strong Ice

SAN MIG STRONG ICE is the newest beer brand in the market with the smoothest brew and the hardest hit. It’s ice-filtered so it goes down your throat cool and smooth, and its 6.3% alcohol kicks you hard. San Mig Strong Ice 330 ml long-neck bottle and 330 ml cans are now hitting your favorite bars, restaurants, convenience stores, and supermarkets nationwide!

http://www.sanmigstrongice.com/

San Mig Light

If you like beer but you don't like the way it fills you up, then you might be thanking the High Heavens for San Mig Light. It's got the right alcohol with less calories. That means a good kick without the heavy load. San Mig But Light. Sounds Right?

The first light beer in the country. It is low in calories therefore it's less filling. It has a full beer flavor with the right alcohol hit. (5% alc/vol)

http://www.sanmiglight.com.ph/index.asp

Thrilla in Manila

Hello from the far east...

It's a hot time here in Manila (I know, you just suffered from a Nor'Easter). I saw a little about it on the news stations here. I had had a couple of beers and I wanted to share my experience...

On Monday Night, which really is Tuesday morning, I tried two different beers with my dinner. I started with the "Sparkling Ale" from Coopers Brewery, located in South Australia. The bottle promotes that it's "Australian Made / Australian Owned". Interesting motto, maybe this was to complete with Fosters.. which everyone knows it's Australian for beer.

I was quite surprised when it poured a cloudy medium brown color. The color and cloudy body reminded me of apple cider. With a quickly diminishing fizzy head, the nose didn't detect too much from the Sparkling Ale. When moving to the drink, the initially light bitter taste increased into a moderately bitter finish on the mouth. It was very carbonated and lefty my mouth a little tingly.

Here's what Coopers says about it:

Sparkling Ale

The ale by which all others should be measured. With its famous cloudy sediment and its distinctive balance of malt, hops and fruity characters, the old 'Red Label' is a tasty slice of Coopers history.

Little has changed since Thomas Cooper produced his first batch of Coopers Sparkling Ale in 1862. It's still brewed naturally using the century old top fermentation method and it still tastes great!

Sparkling Ale contains no additives or preservatives.
5.8% Alc/Vol

http://www.coopers.com.au/

In addition to the Sparkling Ale, I tried a Warsteiner Premium Verum. This is a German Pilsner, but I am not sure where this was brewed/bottled. It poured a light yellow sparkling body with a white fizzy head that was fully diminished. The nose detected a strong smell, it wasn't sweet or citrus notes, but sharp like the pepper. I was expecting a more of a lemon sent. The moderately bitter initial taste moved into a light sour finish for a long duration on the mouth. It was a little watery on the palate and with a soft carbonation feel. This was ok, but it wasn't what I was looking for.

Here what Warsteiner has to say...

Warsteiner Premium Verum is a pilsner style beer with a smooth, rich, full bodied taste wrapped in a thick creamy head and a refreshing hop finish with no aftertaste. Warsteiner quenches the beer lover's thirst for a clean, crisp, refreshing beer taste.

4.8%
http://www.warsteiner-usa.com/warsteiner.htm

Notes: Both beers were sampled in bottles.

Coming up next: Sam Miguel Lager fest!!

Beer and baseball. Not.

Todays Sox game against the Angels has been cancelled due to inclement weather. F@?k!



Ah well, we are heading into Kenmore anyway in search of beer and someone elses baseball. When life hands you lemons, 'put them in your Sam Summer'. - Hops

------
Cheers,

Ian

Brew Day

After about 6 hours of preparation, brewing and clean-up, brew day is over. It was a lot of work and pretty intimidating, but tons of fun. hopefully in about 5 weeks i can bring a couple of bottle to the beer guys for a tasting. Unless it sucks, which it very well may. I brewed an imitation of Three-Floyds Alpha King, a Pale Ale trying to pose as an IPA with a good amount of hops. I was shooting for a 1.066 original gravity, but only managed 1.055, Not as efficient as I hoped, but still should be up to 5.5-6% abv if the yeast works well. Here's some pics of how it went...

Curley Stout

36 hrs into fermentation... 48 hrs into fermentation...

My first taste of Summer

When I think summer, I think of two things I look forward to every year: Red Sox baseball and Sam Summer. This is exactly what I got on a chilly spring day in Boston.

Gavin and I decided to go down to Boston for Red Sox opening day. It was gray, chilly and windy out. We made our way down to the Cask n Flagon right next door to Fenway and began our hour wait to get inside. There was alot to entertain us as the line slowly advanced; the girl selling programs was really funny. We just stood there, not minding the cold wind and soaked up the sounds, smells and moments that occur outside of Fenway Park. God...it had been too long.

Once we got to the doors of the Cask n Flagon, we decided to sit outside to eat our lunch (as if we'd not endured enough punishment from the chilly New England spring day). He had their Bleacher Dogs (2 massive hot dogs loaded with chili...oh yes, Amber....it looked like heaven on a plate) and I had the cajun grilled swordfish sandwich. Delish! And to wash them down? Well...inspite of the cold air, we ARE dedicated beer drinkers, so we each got a cold Red Hook Blonde. Light, fizzy and flavorful!

After eating we headed inside and were a little stunned by the renovation the Cask n Flagon had undergone. It was very open inside and all the cute charm it used to possess of a little English pub was now replaced by an open, airy, modern resturaunt. It was certainly beautiful, but I missed the quaint atmosphere of what used to be the Cask n Flagon.

The place was packed. This new set up certainly allowed for more people. Gavin and I scoured the place, but not a seat could be found. We resorted to standing along a wall in the back, finishing our Blondes in the warm interior of the place (much better for drinking a cold brew). Then I spotted a treasure. At a table near by, two girls sat finishing their pizza. A table for four. Leaving two seats unclaimed. With an idea in my head, I approached and politely interrupted their meal. Turned out, those seats were not going to be claimed by anybody. So I asked if they would mind if I removed them from the table. No problem! Voila! We had seats along the wall. And a wooden high chair made a fine table for our beers. How fortunate. So we sat and began watching the game.

This is when Gavin decided it was time for a second beer. I went to the bar to order for us. He'd asked for a Sam, winter if they had it. When I ordered, the bar tender informed that they no longer had Sam Winter.....the new season was here! Summer was on tap! I ordered two (I really hadn't intended to get another beer, until I heard this). As I returned to our "table", Gavin looked puzzled as he saw the lemon sitting on the rim of his glass. "It's summer" was all I needed to say. He looked just as happy at this discovery as I was.

I put the glass to my lips and took my first sip. Oh heavenly Grains of Paradise! Oh glorious kiss of lemon. It was as if heaven itself opened and shined a beam of warm sunshine directly down on my glass. That sip took me back to several summers of friends, sunshine and this beer. Ah..the memories.

We eventually scored a real table, the Red Sox won 14-3 and we enjoyed several "Summers". This day was one not to forget so soon...and with Summer just begining, I'm sure I'll be reminded of it time and time again. Go Sox and welcome Summer.

Stop and drink some beer!

On Monday night Ian, Sean and I met at the Grog in Newburyport Ma. We met Mark, Sebago Brewing Co's sales representative. Sebago makes its home in Gorham ME and also has a great brew pub in Portland ME.

We fully expected to meet a fabulous beer geek, swimming in beer knowledge, with a crazy love for beer and a hopped up sense of humor. Unfortunately....we met Mark...and he TOTALLY lived up to our expectations.

We received a very warm welcome and quickly sat at the bar and ordered up Red Hook ESB and Harpoon IPA. We ate some tasty dinner, sipped our respective beers, and enjoyed great conversation. We conversed over beer and non-beer related stories. As we left, Mark sent us off with some lovely parting gifts. THANKS Mark! Great night.

At home, Ian, Sean, and I decided it would be fitting to re-review the Frye's Leap. While in an IPA mood, we added Loose Cannon, by Clipper City Brewing Co. and Smutty Nose IPA. We were very pleased by our choices and excited by the similarities AND differences in the three.

Please take time to stop and taste the beer!

Op uw gezondeid, Beergirl

A visit to Graceland

Graceland for beer drinkers that is.



This past Saturday, Brace and I ventured out to Gaithersburg, MD to visit the new Dogfish Head Alehouse. Upon arriving, we saw a shiny new brick building, branded with all types of DFH logos and signs. Walking in, I was surprised to see that it was more of a restaurant than an a bar. The bar itself probably seated 20-25, with an additional eight bar tables with stools.

The tap list was located in two different places, displaying such beauties as the 90 Minute IPA, Black & Blue, Alehouse 75 (a blend of 60 and 90 Minute), Aprihop, Indian Brown, and Shelter Pale Ale.



I started off with a pint of 60 Minute, and Brace dove right in with a sampler, which included 60 Min, 90 Min, Indian Brown, Shelter Pale, and Chicory Stout. After those, I got a pint of Aprihop, and Brace moved on to a Black & Blue. I followed that up with a bottle of Midas Touch, then a bottle of Red & White, and we both got samples of the Alehouse 75 and their Lawnmower Light, that weighs in at an anemic 3.5% abv. Needless to say, I was feeling pretty toasty when we left there a few hours after we got there. We also ordered an appetizer of rings, fries, and chips. Brace quickly worked on the rings, and I consumed the fries, and both were excellent. They had a good selection of pub food, and the upscale menu choices were pricey but appeared worth it.



The downside was that our bartender Dayna, while very efficient and friendly, was not even a fan of beer. I can't understand why Dogfish would allow someone to bartend at their Alehouse that doesn't like beer. However, if any brewery is going to win someone over as a beer fan, it will probably be them.

If you're in DC area and are in the mood for some DFH, it's definitely worth the trek. It was about a 30 minute drive, but from what I was told, that can easily turn into over an hour depending how you hit the traffic. Fortunately, they're constructing another Alehouse in Falls Church, VA, which will be much closer to DC and Alexandria.

Beer and baseball

What goes best with beer? Baseball of course!



Last night, Chris, Liz, Don and I went over to RFK for the Nationals v Diamondbacks game. The hometown team didn't give us much to cheer for, managing only 1 hit through 8 2/3 innings and trailing 7-0, but a late charge, started by Ryan Church with a 2-out solo shot to right-center got the Nationals on the board, and he was followed by a couple of hits, but that would be the beginning and the end of the scoring. 7-1 final, Diamondbacks.

However, the ballpark did have a "Beers of the World" stand, where Brace located some Old Dominion Ales for us and, as you can see from the photo, it was a nice dark ale with a fantastic head that only seemed to keep growing and growing. As Brace put it, it was "the head that kept on coming". They also had Redhook Longhammer IPA, but we stopped after the one beer with the 6:45am visit to the gym the next morning looming. More to follow from DC!

Cheers!

Ian

Reminisce

It's amazing how our senses can transport us to a special place or time. That very thing happened to me this evening upon pouring a glass of beer.

Whether I was romanced by the city of Edinburgh itself, or if it was the magic of a Scottish pub, Scotland was where my love of beer first began.

Tonight I thought would be rather un-eventful...laundry, dishes, make a little dinner and relax...but...a journey down memory lane would make my night a bit more pleasurable. I decided to make myself a pizza for dinner. Of course, when looking for a nice beer to accompany this dinner, I looked for a lighter beer.

The Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale caught my eye. Upon pouring, I noticed the beautiful dark amber color and the amazing tan, creamy head. The head took up 1/4 of the top of the glass and kept its integrity until I decided to take the first sip. This first sip took me back in time...

I was sitting on a bar stool in front of a small row of beer taps. Sean and I were at a great Scottish pub in Edinburgh. The bartender pulls the tap handle down and out pours a fairly light colored beer. The difference between this light beer and others I have seen poured, is its head. It is light tan, thick and creamy, not the white thin, frothy ones I am used to seeing with other lighter beers. As I sip the beer, I am amazed at the wonderful flavor of this beer, and the yummy creamy head.

I will never forget that beer and am always excited when a beer has similarities to that one. Funny thing is, I can't remember the name of the beer...only the feeling I got when drinking it. Fond memories....poured from a tap.

Samuel Smith's brewery is Yorkshire's oldest brewery, est. 1758. Check out merchantduvin.com to find more of their beers as well as many other FABULOUS beers.

Op uw gezondeid, Beergirl

May I suggest an outing?

Ah, I often have the opportunity to enjoy a quiet Tuesday evening at home, while my wife, Black Kat (aka Kat, aka Meow) is off line dancing with good friends. Sometimes though, I get a little bored and maybe even a little lonely. I've found an opportunity to remedy that though...at least for 1 Tuesday! Pathetically, I have only tonight become a Friend of Harpoon, but whilst searching their sight, I came upon an event that moistened my beer tasting buds. On April 17, Harpoon is having a 100 Barrel Series event with its #18 Refsvindinge Private Stock Danish Farmstock Ale. The event is at the Old Spot Pub in Salem, MA from 6-8pm. "Friends" get their 1st beer free. I say.....now that's something to drink to! Let us send our women dancing while we manly men drink some free beer!

http://www.friendofharpoon.com/index.cfm?cdid=96132&pid=29029